Edwin Tong on Land Titles (Strata) (Amendment) Bill

The Land Titles (Strata) (Amendment) Bill builds upon previous efforts to ensure that Singapore’s framework for urban renewal remains fit for purpose - to cater for ageing developments where there is support amongst the owners for redevelopment and allow for Singapore's urban landscape to continue to renew in an orderly and sustainable way. Law Minister Edwin Tong said this in parliament on Tuesday (Sep 8), as he outlined the key features of the Bill. He pointed out that more owners will have to deal with the question of whether it is feasible or sustainable to invest in the maintenance and upkeep of their property. To support renewal, the Bill will recalibrate the consent thresholds for collective sales in older developments with two new tiers. For developments aged 40 to 59 years - a new threshold of 70 per cent, and for those aged 60 years and older - a new threshold of 65 per cent. The second set of amendments will strengthen the safeguards for non-consenting owners in three ways - raise the threshold to initiate a collective sale attempt, reduce the time period that Collective Sale Committees have to obtain signatures to the Collective Sale Agreement from 12 months to six months and extend the restriction period after a failed collective sale attempt from two years to three years. Mr Tong said the two sets of amendments form an integrated package and are meant to be taken together as a whole for balance.